How to Live to 100 (or Die Trying)
Toronto Star
Life expectancy has grown exponentially in just over a generation but has society & culture caught up on how to embrace this growing slice of the population, those living longer than humans ever have? What are we going do with everybody? What are we going do with *you* if you make it to 100 (or die trying)?
In this show, we look at how we adjust to longer life expectancy at both the individual and societal level, covering big topics like work, housing, death, male loneliness and the value of measuring biological age; all grounded in real-world, practical experience and conversations.
If you're lucky, you get old. And all of us are getting older every day. So, how do you get the most life out of all the years you get? That's what we want to talk about here.
The show is hosted by Moira Welsh, Toronto Star reporter who led the Third Act Project, which challenged governments, policymakers, and institutions to improve the way we live in our later years.
In this show, we look at how we adjust to longer life expectancy at both the individual and societal level, covering big topics like work, housing, death, male loneliness and the value of measuring biological age; all grounded in real-world, practical experience and conversations.
If you're lucky, you get old. And all of us are getting older every day. So, how do you get the most life out of all the years you get? That's what we want to talk about here.
The show is hosted by Moira Welsh, Toronto Star reporter who led the Third Act Project, which challenged governments, policymakers, and institutions to improve the way we live in our later years.
Episodes
Mentioned books
11 snips
Feb 23, 2026 • 34min
The grim news about your biological age
Steve Horvath, a biogerontologist who created methylation clocks like GrimAge, breaks down biological age and what it measures. He discusses how methylation clocks work, why lifestyle factors like vegetables and walking matter, the limits and risks of consumer tests, centenarian insights, and where AI and drugs might take aging research next.
Feb 16, 2026 • 26min
In conversation with the geriatrician
After years of chatting with Dr. Sinha for the Star's Third Act series, we dig into his perspective on a good old age; the longevity secret he learned from a man who has already lived past 100 and how we can reframe the way governments think about growing old. GUEST: Dr. Samir Sinha, of Sinai Health and University Health Network and director of health policy research at the National Institute on Ageing.
Feb 9, 2026 • 26min
A Good Death
It is inevitable. Our fear of it can make it worse. Join us for an animated conversation on dying with two unlikely sources. Michael Brooke, a kid from Thornhill who ended up in the '90s LA skateboarding scene before a career in funeral homes and Ondi Timoner, who twice won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film festival and in 2022, she released her most personal film, called Last Flight Home, about the extraordinary life and death of her father. GUESTS: Michael Brooke, skateboarder and founder of Concrete Wave. Ondi Timoner, award-winning filmmaker whose documentary on her father's death changed laws for medical assistance in dying.
9 snips
Feb 2, 2026 • 27min
Mobile bodies
Mary Kelcey, an octogenarian adventurer who celebrated her 80th birthday with a skydiving jump, shares bold life-story reflections. She talks about mobility challenges, the thrill and terror of freefall, and choosing adventure late in life. Short, lively anecdotes highlight determination, playfulness, and why staying active matters.
Jan 26, 2026 • 34min
Gimme shelter
Where and how are we all going to live in our later years? It is the question of our times. In our later years, some will live mortgage free. Others will need housemates to financially survive. For many, the shining holy grail of housing is both affordable and offers health supports in case life goes sideways. We look at two options that work: the Golden Girls co-ownership and cluster care, with Toronto's largest non-municipal provider of affordable housing where the workers, Susan Vickberg says, feel like mothers who have her back. GUESTS: Louise Bardswich, the original Golden Girl of Port Perry and Susan Vickberg, who lives in an affordable cluster care household at Woodgreen Community Services.
Jan 23, 2026 • 1h 1min
Bonus episode: Live longer, live better - Moira Welsh in conversation with Dr. Samir Sinha and Laura Tamblyn Watts (CEO of Can Age)
We're living longer than ever, but that doesn't always mean we're living better longer. The Toronto Star held a live virtual event, led by award-winning journalist and host of this podcast, Moira Welsh and special guests Dr. Samir Sinha (Geriatrician and Clinical Scientist, Sinai Health and University Health Network) and Laura Tamblyn Watts (CEO of Can Age). They discuss how the habits you commit to now can shape the quality of your health years down the road. Good health in later life isn't guaranteed — but the choices you make today can make those years stronger, more independent and more meaningful. Learn the simple daily changes that add not just years to your life, but better years.
10 snips
Jan 19, 2026 • 29min
Older men and suicide
In this insightful discussion, Alan Marison shares his journey through grief and how Men's Sheds helped him regain social connections and purpose. Eireann O'Day highlights the concept of generativity, emphasizing the importance of volunteering for older adults. Dr. David Kahn explains the critical distinctions between isolation and loneliness, while addressing suicide risk factors among older men. Together, they explore the profound impact of social ties and practical interventions to combat the loneliness epidemic in later life.
11 snips
Jan 12, 2026 • 32min
Freedom 75 or work, work, work
This week, Beth Truesdale, a sociologist focusing on aging inequalities, and Laura Tamblyn Watts, a lawyer and aging advocate, dive into the future of work for older adults. They discuss the financial pressures that force many seniors back into the workforce and tackle the emotional toll of caregiving on women. The conversation shifts to the challenges of ageism in hiring and the need for compassionate approaches to dementia in leadership. They also delve into how intergenerational teams can foster resilience and productivity, reshaping our ideas about retirement and purpose.
8 snips
Jan 5, 2026 • 24min
Longevity in the land of ageism
Dr. Samir Sinha, a leading geriatrician focused on health policy, Kyrié Carpenter, a millennial advocate reclaiming aging, and Mary Hynes, an inspiring voice at 81, dive into the nuanced world of ageism. They discuss why the term 'crone' can be empowering and the need for language that respects older adults. Mary shares her vibrant life full of travel and tattoos, while Kyrié challenges societal norms about aging. The conversation reveals how dismantling ageist attitudes can lead to healthier, more fulfilling lives for everyone.
Jan 2, 2026 • 1min
Introducing How to Live to 100 (or Die Trying)
The Toronto Star's Moira Welsh hosts How to Live to 100 or Die Trying, an uplifting, shocking, and illuminating conversation for all ages on growing older. You'll hear from a 40-something football star turned mobility mentor, a skateboarding impresario focused on death, but a good one. And a scientist who says he can measure biological age. But don't fear the reaper because he also shares a startling secret to longevity. We give traditional topics like ageism a millennial twist and go deep into the future of work. Call it freedom 75. Keeping it real throughout is blunt insight from a geriatrician who says most of that data on your wearable device is poppycock. It's quite a ride, this arc of life. You can find it on thestar.com or wherever you listen, to your favourite podcasts.
